Although the statistics on anorexia aren't always clear and it's generally accepted within the medical community that eating disorders are often misdiagnosed or never diagnosed at all, it impacts many people each year and persons diagnosed with it are at a significant risk of eventual relapse. Sadly, it's not unusual for relapsed patients to have a tougher time with their illness and for the symptoms to be more dramatic. Therefore, if your son or daughter has already been treated for anorexia one or more times and the symptoms seem to be re-occurring, it's a good idea to speak with their physician about the benefits of hospitalization to facilitate recovery.
#1-In-Patient Care Can Often More Effectively Address The Medical Complications Of Relapsed Anorexia
Unfortunately, severe anorexia has the very real potential to have a negative impact on the lives and health of its sufferers for years after recovery. Examples of that can be seen in the development of heart problems, infertility, and osteoporosis, all of which have often been seen primarily in older members of the population. Attributed to the hormonal fluctuations associated with starvation and the same lack of nutrition resulting in bone loss, anorexia needs to be addressed aggressively and consistently in order to permit a better recovery.
IV fluids, nutrition, and supplementation are often necessary. In extreme cases, patients have needed to be sedated in order to be fitted with feeding tubes to facilitate survival when other measures have failed. Since hospitalization is so important to that service, it can be an unfortunate step that your son or daughter might need to receive.
#2-Mental Health Concerns, Including Cutting, Can Be More Effectively Co-managed
Given that eating disorders are unique in that they manifest with physical symptoms of a mental health challenge, medication, counseling, and constant supervision are frequently necessary. In addition, self-mutilation, which is also known as cutting, commonly occurs in conjunction with a variety of eating disorders. Given the reduced immune function that often presents with severe malnutrition, scarring and infection are more likely to occur than they might with an otherwise healthy cutter.
The ability to quickly treat injuries that have occurred or provide IV antibiotics for wounds that fail to heal as they should are important services that can usually be provided on an inpatient basis to severely anorexic persons. By extension, your son or daughter may be safer there than anywhere else.
#3-Aggressive Physical, Occupational And Speech Therapies Are Easily And Frequently Accessed
While you undoubtedly expect personal counseling as part of the recovery plan, it's easy to forget that the body will take a long time to recover from the rigors of severe anorexia. Fortunately, in patient care can provide the steps to facilitate the best recovery possible to most patients.
For instance, your son or daughter might need daily, intensive physical therapy to regain muscle mass and strength after nutrition has been established and weight gain has occurred. Alternatively, occupational therapy might be required to regain fine motor skills and some patients have lost enough jaw strength that speech therapy was required. Regardless, a live-in treatment facility devoted to addressing all of the facets and complications associated with long-term anorexia is often the safest and best place for relapsed persons to get well.
In conclusion, eating disorders such as anorexia have impacted millions of people and their families in recent years. If you are able to recognize the symptoms of anorexia in your son or daughter because you have already fought this battle with them at least once, hospitalization is often the right choice for the next leg of the journey. As a result, it's best to be aware of the above benefits associated with hospitalization for the aggressive treatment of anorexia.
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4 August 2017
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
